The Hayestone-Brady Business Park joins just a few other industrial parks in Georgia as the recipient of a specialized certification.
Wednesday, the Stephens County Development Authority announced that the Highway 17 business park had received Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development certification.
GRAD certification as it is called is awarded by a public-private economic development marketing partnership called Georgia Allies.
Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin said the GRAD certification involves a rigorous process.
“It forced us to work through the property ownership, the infrastructure in terms of utilities, the weight-bearing capacity of the land, and the presence of wetlands or any cultural resources,” said Martin. “All of those fronts we now have answers on and if they are in the future a concern to someone, we can allay those concerns up front.”
Martin went on to say that the information gathered during the GRAD certification process provides knowledge that businesses want before picking a site.
He said that advance knowledge gives Stephens County and Hayestone-Brady Business Park an advantage.
“Companies do not like surprises,” explained Martin. “When a company looks at a community and wants to consider it for relocation, investment, and jobs, it wants to be confident that the information it receives about that site is current and accurate.”
According to Martin, only a handful of industrial sites in the state have achieved GRAD certification, which gives Hayestone-Brady another advantage.
Other local officials are also expressing their excitement over the news.
Toccoa Mayor Janice English, Stephens County Commission Chairman J.B. Hudgins, and Development Authority Chairman Cam Parker all say the certification will set Hayestone-Brady apart from the pack for industrial development.
The Hayestone-Brady Business Park joins just a few other industrial parks in Georgia as the recipient of a specialized certification.
Charlie Bauder, WNEG
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